Bleacher Report - Articles by Kile Evans

Myron Rolle Is an Example to All

Kile Evans — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:44:22 -0500

Myron Rolle should be smiling. What is there not to be smiling about? He's coming off a huge bowl victory in the Champs Sports Bowl over Wisconsin. He just received his pre-med degree in just two-and-a-half years. Rolle also announced that instead of pursuing a career in the NFL, he will be going for his master's degree at Oxford.

I believe that Rolle should be an inspiration to all young kids.

In today's society, there is such a push for a person to become a professional athlete without looking to the future if they do not make it. Rolle shows us that there is still hope. By choosing to continue his education, he shows future generations that nothing is a guarantee. He is making sure that even if he does not make the NFL, he will still be successful.

What can this show the next generation? Perhaps that you cannot guarantee anything, and it is always smart to have a back-up plan. Myron Rolle should be used as an example for everyone to study hard and that anything can be accomplished.

Myron Rolle, congratulations on everything you have accomplished, and good luck at Oxford.

Eagles-Ravens: Kevin Kolb's Shaky Start Shouldn't Stick with Philadelphia Fans

Kile Evans — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:45:29 -0500

The switch has finally happened. In yesterday's game against the Baltimore Ravens, Andy Reid did something that shocked everyone. He benched Donovan McNabb and brought in backup Kevin Kolb.

In a close, 10-7 game with the Ravens up, and McNabb was again having a rough first half, throwing two picks and losing a fumble, Reid look somewhere for hope to get his offense started. He looked for Kolb to be that hope.

It didn't work the way Reid expected.

Kolb going 10 for 23 with two picks did not start off the way most of us believed he would. Can you blame him though for his rocky start?

He was put in during the middle of a game that the team was already losing against one of the league's toughest defense. Wouldn't you be a little nervous, too?

The thing to look forward to is that for the past few years that we have had someone come in for McNabb the team always seems to turn it around. Can we hope for it again this year? Maybe?

If the team did have something to look forward to was the strong performance from the defense. While the scoreboard didn't show it, the defense played strong the whole game, sacking Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco three times and forcing him to fumble once.

They just need to work on the rest of their game, and they will be fine.

Should Chase Utley's Injury Worry Philadelphia Phillies Fans?

Kile Evans — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:59:32 -0500

Phillies second basemen Chase Utley is set to have surgery on his hip sometime next week. While this may send many fans into a frenzy, I do not believe there is much reason to panic.

Last season, the Phillies had one of their best starts to a season in recent memory. In the beginning of the season, Utley had one of the best starts to a season a player can wish to have, leading the majors in home runs and RBI through mid-May.

The consensus seems to be that the Phils will now get off to a slow start, with Utley presumably not at full strength when the 2009 season begins.

However, before last season, the Phillies always got off to rough starts, something many fans have gotten used to this over time. It's nothing to worry about.

The team always start off slow and usually gets hot right around the All-Star break.

The key thing for the Phillies will be looking to be a buyer in this free-agency period. With starting left fielder Pat Burrell and veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer in the open market, the Phillies need to build.

So, for the fans, it might be back to the normal Phillies—start off the season slow, get hot, make a run at the N.L. East title, and then lose games to make it close.

Don't look for the Phillies to repeat next season, but look for them to shake things up a bit. While they will most likely not make the World Series again, they will make the postseason, perhaps as a wild card.

Hey Philly! Phinally!

Kile Evans — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:08:10 -0500

“We are the team to beat.”

Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop, made this controversial statement before last season. While the team made the playoffs, it was overshadowed by their quick exit after being swept by the Colorado Rockies. One year later, look who is on top of Major League Baseball.

Getting off to a better start many people believed is the reason for the Phillies change in play this season. Reaching the playoffs was the team’s first goal.

In the first round, the Phillies drew the wild card Milwaukee Brewers, who were fighting to make it in until the last game of the season. The Phillies were set to start off the postseason win going against Brewers recently acquired “ace” CC Sabathia.

The Phillies sent their “ace” Cole Hamels to the mound. The Phillies jumped right on the Brewers, and Cole Hamels did the rest, going eight-plus innings, leaving the game in Brad Lidge’s hands. This was the boost the Phillies needed; they took the next two games to complete the sweep over the Brewers.

In the next round, the Phillies had to face Manny Ramirez and his new team, the L.A. Dodgers. In the first two games the Phillies game out strong with big games from second basemen Chase Utley going 4-8 with two doubles but getting only one RBI. The team left Philadelphia with a two game lead to go to L.A., a place where the team has had no luck this season going 0-4 in the regular season.

In the first game the Dodgers jumped on Phillies veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer going only three innings giving up seven runs. In game four the Phillies went down by two runs in the eighth inning.

In the top of the inning, outfielder Jayson Werth led off with a single to right center. The next batter, Shane Victorino, stepped up and delivered for the Phillies hitting a home run that just cleared the right field fence tying the game up.

The next batter Carlos Ruiz drew a walk and stood on first when the Phillies called up pinch hitter Matt Stairs, a recently acquired infielder from the Toronto Blue Jays brought in for his bat.

The Phillies made the right decision with a 1-1 count Stairs hit a shot deep into the night of L.A. giving the Phillies the lead and ultimately the win. In Game Five, Hamels did what he does and pitched a win bring his record in the postseason to 3-0 with an ERA under 2.

In the World Series the Phillies faced the turn around team of the year, the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa completed the exorcism; they dropped the devil in their name and made the World Series. After a 13-day lay off the Phillies sent Hamels out again and again he gave the Phillies a win in game one.

Most people believed that this was the most important game for the Phillies because they needed to take at least one game in Tampa Bay. In Game Two, Myers looked shaky in the beginning, later in the game he settled down but the offense was not able to do anything for him.

After leaving Tampa with the series tied the Phillies looked to the fans for help to boost the teams and shake the Rays confidence. In Game Three, the Phillies sent Moyer to the mound. Before this game country singer Tim McGraw spread the ashes of his father Tug McGraw, former Phillies closer who got the final strike out during the Phillies last and only World Series Championship.

This earned great praise from the fans and the Phillies. Moyer pitched six innings giving up only two runs. In game four the Phillies could not be stopped scoring 10 runs including home runs by the slumping Ryan Howard and pitcher Joe Blanton, this was the first home run by a pitcher in a World Series in 34 years.

In Game Five, the rain could not stop Cole Hamels, but it could stop the game. After the Rays tied the game up in the top of the officials decided to postpone the game. After a two-day period the Phillies started off the game strong with a pinch-hit double off the left field fence by Jeff Jenkins, followed by a single by Jayson Werth giving the Phillies the lead at 3-2.

In the next half an inning the Rays tied it up with a home run by Rocco Baldelli. In the bottom of the seventh Pat Burrell stepped up and hit a monster bomb to center field hitting off the wall leaving him with a double.

The Phillies then brought in pinch runner Eric Bruntlett. Later in the inning third basemen Pedro Feliz hit a single to right scoring Bruntlett, giving the Phillies the go ahead run at 4-3. This would be all the Phillies need bringing in Madson to set up for Lidge.

In the ninth inning, it was time for “Lights Out” Lidge, who had been 41-41 in save attempts in the regular season and 5-5 in the postseason. Again Lidge delivered striking out the side completing the save and giving the Phillies their first World Series Championship since 1980, only the second in team history.

The Phillies played their hearts out but so did the Rays. I would like to congratulate the Rays on a great season and better luck next year. For all the Phillies fans out there like me, all I can say that sums up how we are all feeling is Phinally!

Andy Reid, It's Time To Go! (And Take Donovan McNabb With You!)

Kile Evans — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:05:17 -0500

In the Eagles' most recent game against the Cincinnati Bengals (1-8), which resulted in a 13-13 tie, the Eagles were heavily favored. From the start of the game, the Eagles did not seem to be prepared for the Bengals.

On offense, the Eagles went back to their “pass happy” ways, giving McNabb the opportunity to set a new career high in pass attempts with 58. Unfortunately, completing only 31 passes with three going to the other team.

In the game, the Eagles faced 18 third-down opportunities. Of the 18 third downs, there were 18 called pass plays, the team converted five first downs and McNabb was sacked once.

Brian Westbrook, one of the game's most versatile players, is standing in your backfield and you decide to pass on every play, it just makes no sense. Reid, we all now McNabb is your star player and that you've been molding him for a decade but he cannot do it alone no matter how much you would like him to.

I know it sounds like I'm putting all the blame on McNabb; trust me, I'm not. In overtime, the Eagles faced a 4th-and-1 on their own 22-yard line with less than two minutes left. Instead of trying to gain the one yard, Reid decided to send out second year punter, Sav Rocca, to kick back to the Bengals.

When you have a quarterback the size of McNabb, a 4th-and-1 should be no problem, like earlier in the game when they converted a 4th-and-1 on a simple quarterback sneak. How can you coach with no faith in you team?

I know Reid has had success in the past, but this is a different time, McNabb is not the same quarterback he was a few years back, defenses have gotten used to Reid's “pass first, pass second philosophy.”

I think its time to sit McNabb and bring in Kevin Kolb, who will only have two years left on his contract after this season, in if he is the future of this team and try and salvage something from this season. In Reid's case, it is time for him to step down and spend time with his family. This will benefit everyone greatly.

I know it will be hard to see the “face of the franchise” and savior of the team leave, but I’m pretty sure the fans will get over it as soon as the team starts winning again.

I know I will.